{{short description|Judo association}} {{Infobox Sport governing body | assocname = Israel Judo Association<br/>{{Nobold|{{Script/Hebrew|איגוד הג'ודו בישראל}}}} | logo = Israel Judo Association logo.png | sport = Judo | founded = {{Start date and age|1965}} | headquarters = Tel Aviv, Israel | aff = IJF | region = EJU | president = Moshe Ponte |womenscoach={{ill|Shany Hershko|he|שני הרשקו}}|coach=Oren Smadja| url = ija.org.il | countryflag = Israel }}
The '''Israel Judo Association''' (Hebrew: {{Script/Hebrew|איגוד הג'ודו בישראל}}) is a sports association in Israel, and its headquarters is located in Tel Aviv, Israel.<ref name="eju.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.eju.net/member-states/?mode=showMemberState&id=isr|title=Israel Judo Association - Memberstate of the European Judo Union|publisher=eju.net|access-date=2016-11-20|archive-date=2016-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120152616/http://www.eju.net/member-states/?mode=showMemberState&id=isr|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The Association operates Israel's national judo teams, holds the Israeli Judo Championships for different age classifications, and offers courses and seminars for instructors, coaches, and referees.<ref>[http://www.ija.org.il/web/8888/nsf/sbs.py?&_ID=7676&did=1513&G=7676&PF=1&lang=HE איגוד הג'ודו | איגוד הג'ודו הישראלי | גודו<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It is a member of the European Judo Union.<ref name="eju.net"/>
==History== The Israel Judo Association was established in 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/53540|title=Practicing Judo-ism|work=Israel National News}}</ref> Amos Greenspan, a second dan, was Chairman of the Association in the early 1970s.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttYDAAAAMBAJ&q=Israel+Judo+Association&pg=PA36|title=Dramatic Progress for Judo in the Holy Land |first=|last=|date=1 June 1972|work=Black Belt}}</ref> At that time, the Association did not easily recognize belts earned overseas, as it sought to maintain very high standards.<ref name="auto"/> The Association held Israeli Judo Championships from 1969 for men, and from 1976 for women.<ref>[http://www.ija.org.il/web/8888/nsf/sbs.py?&_ID=8388&G=7676&did=1513&PF=1&SM=8388&lang=HE היסטוריה של הג'ודו בישראל | איגוד הג'ודו | איגוד הג'ודו בישראל<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Israel's first two Olympic medals were in judo competing for Israel at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (Yael Arad won the silver medal in women's half middleweight, and Oren Smadja won the bronze medal in men's lightweight).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/news/israel/347665/6-reasons-judo-is-israels-new-national-sport/|title=6 Reasons Judo is Israel's 'New National Sport'|work=The Forward}}</ref> The Israel Judo Association's Hall of Fame includes Arad, Smadja, world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Yarden Gerbi, and Olympic bronze medalist Ariel Ze'evi.<ref>[http://www.ija.org.il/web/8888/nsf/sbs.py?&_ID=8416&did=1513&G=7924&SM=8416&SM3=7924&_UserReference=7A02A5E719B9EE685831528B היכל תהילה | איגוד הג'ודו | איגוד הג'ודו בישראל<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Israel Judo Association's president is Moshe Ponte.<ref name="eju.net"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/sports/2016-08-17/ty-article/.premium/why-are-israelis-so-good-at-judo/0000017f-f98d-d880-a7ff-ff8d3a910000|title=Why are Israelis so good at judo? - Sports|work=Haaretz}}</ref> Ponti said in August 2016, as judo became Israel's unofficial national sport with five of its nine Olympic medals coming in judo: "Soccer may be more popular, but this is what we are good at. Every other kid in Israel does it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-judo-medals-israel-basks-in-success-of-new-national-sport/|title=After judo medals, Israel basks in success of new 'national sport'|work=Times of Israel}}</ref>
As of November 2016, the International Judo Federation and the Israel Judo Association had begun developing Judo for Peace (JFP) activities in the region, for the benefit of all its communities.<ref>[https://www.ijf.org/news/show/judo-for-peace-israel "Judo for Peace in Israel"], ijf.org</ref>
==See also== * List of judo organizations * Judo by country * Israel national judo team
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{Facebook}}
{{National Members of the International Judo Federation}} {{Sports governing bodies in Israel}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Judo in Israel Category:National members of the European Judo Union Judo Category:Organizations based in Tel Aviv Category:1965 establishments in Israel Category:Sports organizations established in 1965